The Ruins Part 2 (Sequel to The Ruins)

Chapter 8

By midday through many miles away from Salt Lake with no more snowfall, Negan's group meets up the other Saviors and plans on the routes of the place on the map, pointing to which group will attack first. Rachael found a little factory where two Claimers were standing out, and he ordered them to find and catch, give them to spill their guts on where their perimeter is, and also have them see if the Saviors found the right track to Glory's area.

One problem was who would step up and put themselves a bait. They'll have the radio on but it's a risk to see yourself upon folks who will kill you instantly. Mal couldn't go since they know her face quite well when Vix volunteers herself.

At that, Negan laughed, dry and hoarse, but full of mirth. "Goddamn. I like you, Vix. You know that? You're a hell of a woman and your karate skills, damn. But you sure you're up for this?"

Vix's mouth twitched at the corners. "Yeah, well. Someone has to do it. I know for a prince charming man, you would go for my place."

Negan chuckled good-naturedly. "Wouldn't dream of it."

"You sure about this?" Mal said.

"I'm sure about this Mal."

Negan goes to Vix. "You're a real heartbreaker, huh? I can see you, men trippin' over themselves to be with you, and you don't spare them a damn look unless they manage to show you they're something really special. Bet nobody fucked with you." Vix's smile faltered a bit, and Negan frowned. "Shit. What'd I say? I didn't mean it like- I'm not saying you were- that you were a fucking- I don't even know, I didn't mean it in a bad way, Vix-"

She brushed him off. "No. No, honey, I know you didn't. It's not that. It's just...that's not what I was like at all. The opposite of that, in fact."

Negan cocked his head at her. "What's that mean?"

"It means," Vix said, taking a breath, "That I was weak, before all this. Hell, even after all this, for a while. I always thought myself as I survived it's because of my pretty looks. A man...his name was Frank. He was...he wasn't a nice man. And I knew that, but I stayed anyway with him for a bit. And he never changed his ways, only got worse. Got violent, discriminating me." At that, Vix's voice became tight with sadness, and Negan chanced a hand on her shoulder as they walked in tandem. She covered the hand with her own, squeezing. "I never stood up to him. Only times I did were when...were when I got a little older." Disgust colored her voice at that.

Nausea churned in Negan's stomach that had little to do with dehydration. "What happened to that sick fuck? He dead now?" He hoped with everything in him that he was.

"Yes," Vix answered. "Yes, he's dead." Negan reached out, gave her a one-armed hug.

"Good. Fucking good. I hope you don't fucking mourn that bastard. If you don't mind me saying."

Vix managed a smile. "I don't."

"I know you're such a strong girl Vix, I like how women are stronger than men, have more balls than the saggier ones." She chuckles when she tips up to her toes to reach his height and kissed a peck on his stubbled cheek. "For good luck," she said.

Peeking out his tongue through his bottom lip, licking over his rabbit teeth. "Can you give me another in this spot?" He indicates his lips by licking them wet. "A little longer," he wiggled his eyebrows.

She giggles, leaning over to his ear and whispers to him. "I would but I don't think it's my lips you want to taste for yourself."

Negan blinked and turned where she went to Mal who saw the kiss and was death staring at both of them, squinting at Mal and trying to figure out if Vix meant that Negan liked to kiss Mal instead. Negan thinks about that, he found that he liked the times he was around with her. Mal, almost despite herself, seemed to be warming up to Negan, occasionally deeming Negan's crude jokes as worthy of laughter and his biting remarks as worthy of some of his own dry banter. Negan liked teasing her more than just about anything, he discovered. Liked getting under her skin, seeing how far he could nudge before Mal would start pushing back. All in good, fun of course. Mal was a stoic girl, her laughter rare, and when Negan managed to drag a small smile or a quiet chuckle out of her, he felt a rather over-the-top sense of satisfaction. Sure, he would like to taste a girl like her, but there's a lot of issues in that. However, it's very grateful to be unlikely friends.

Disgusted Mal badgered at Vix. "You know better, Vix."

"One kiss doesn't hurt anybody."

"Yeah, unless you're Negan." She smiled and held Mal's hands.

"I'll be fine."

Mal looked into her dark eyes, seeing how capable she is. "You could become a great leader. I'm proud of you to step up and lead others to follow you."

Vix shrugged, not thinking as important than Mal. "Maybe. For now, I'm gonna get going."

"Be safe and smart."

"I will."

She says her byes to Lalon, Lugh, and Alec before heading out into the cold breeze and unfamiliar grounds.